Macfarlanes is set to see the departure of two City partners, with planning head Ian Ginbey and real estate partner Richard Reuben joining Clyde & Co and Fladgate respectively.

Ginbey, who specialises in appeals, environmental impact assessments and High Court litigation, is set to join Clydes at the end of April to lead the firm's London planning group, while Reuben will also leave Macfarlanes next month.

Clydes real estate partner Martin Quicke said: "We are actively strengthening the breadth and depth of services that we provide in the real estate sector following on from our agreement with Shadbolt a year ago.

"Ian brings with him extensive experience in high-value, complex planning cases and he will be an invaluable addition to our growing team."

Clydes acquired Shadbolt's London construction and infrastructure projects and disputes groups, as well as its UK corporate practice and Paris office, in January last year.

The deal saw eight Shadbolt partners join Clydes along with a handful of associates and trainees.

The news follows a raft of hires for Clydes, including Insurance Australia group general counsel Michael Cripps, who joined the corporate insurance practice in Shanghai last month.

Macfarlanes has yet to decide who will replace Ginbey, who joined Macfarlanes in 2007 from Jones Day as head of planning. The move marks a relatively rare partner departure for the City firm, coming around a year after corporate partner Tim Lewis moved to Clifford Chance.